Cutoff saw mechanism for sheet feeding machines



March 6, 1945.

O. S. BOLLI NG GUTOFF SAW MECHANISM FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES FiledApril 25, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 6, 1945;

CUTOFF SAW MECHANI SM FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES o. s. BOLLING 2,370,932

Filed April 25, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 @72 0? Boiling March 6, 1945. o,s, BOLLING CUTOFF SAW MECHANISM FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES Filed April25, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 6, 1945. Q s, B G 2,370,932

CUTOFF SAW MECHANISM FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES Filed April 25, 1942 5Sheets-Sheet 4 March 6, 1945. 0 s BOLLING 2,370,932

CUTOFF SAW MECHANISM FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES Filed April 25, 1942 5Sheets-Sheet 5 five/rib) 002%) If 307/2??? Patented Mar. 6, 1945 cU'roFFSAW MECHANISM FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES Oscar S..Bolling, Minneapolis,Minn, assignor to Mereen-Johnson Machine Company, Minneapolis, Minn., acorporation of Minnesota Application April 25, 1942, Serial No. 440,456

12 Claims.

My present invention relates to machines for making sheets fromrelatively narrow wooden strips or slats and is especially designed asan improvement on machines such as that disclosed and claimed in mypending application S. N. 407,147, filed August 16, 1941, and entitledPlywood-core machine. Such machines are especially adapted for making,out of wooden slats or strips, plywood cores that. are to be appliedbetween veneer strips or sheets. Many of the features of the presentimproved machine are in common with those of the above identifiedpending application. In the present improved machinethe structure issuch that the transversely movable cut-off saw will travel with the coreor composite sheet, if, in fact, there is a feeding movement of the corewhile the cut-off saw is travelling transversely to cut-01f apredetermined length of the sheet. Otherwise stated, the cutoff saw willcut on a line at right angles to the edges of the sheet regardless ofWhether or not there is. a feed'movement of the sheet during thetransverse cutting action.

, The chief novelty of the present invention is in the improved meansfor accomplishing the results just above stated. This improved structureand result is obtained in a very simple way and by simple means, as willhereinafter more fully appear in connection with the drawings whichillustrate a commercial form of the improved machine. l

The present machine has further improvements over the prior machine inthat, among other things; the trimmed and out 01f sheet can not remainon the feed table and stop the operation of the machine but will beautomatically released and ejected from the machine.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the delivery end portion of the machineand the features of improvement applied to'the machine in accordancewith my present invention, somev parts being broken away and some partsbeing sectioned;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine looking from the right towardthe left in respect to Fig.

Fig. '3 is a side elevation of the machine looking from the left towardthe right in respect to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view partly in section andpartly in elevation taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; 1Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation ofi saw H! which, inthis preferred arrangement,

and partly in section taken on the line 5 -5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line ii-G o f Fig. 1; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary, section taken on the line 1 of Fig. 2, someparts being broken away.

The parts of. the present machine that are comshown, and under theaction of. suitable feed mechanism, preferably such as shown in my priorapplication, the core sheeta will be fed rearward ontothe skid i'ails 10that are'rigidly supported from a main frame l l. The numerals l2 and I3indicate. heavy bridge beams that are located above and span the skidrails l0 and at their, ends are rigidlysupported from the main frameflAs best shown in Fig. 2, the ends of beam l3 are attached to theframework H by. heavy brackets E'dge t'rimming saws ii are carried bythe rotor shafts of electric motors l 6, and are positioned to trim oifthe edges of the core-forming sheet a as the latter is forced past thesame. of motdrs [6 are shown as carried by carrier framesl'l that are'slidably adjustable on the beam I2 so that the edge trimming saws'maybe properly adjusted to the width of the sheet: a. The numeral .18indicates leaf-like hold-down spring'sattached to the beam l2 andoperative to press the sheet 0; onto the skid rails l0.

The cut-off mechanism involves a circular cutis carried by a collar 20which, by a splineand groove connection 2|, is slidably mounted'on thefor cut-off saw l9 and its motor is formed or pro vided with an'upwardly extended arm 24'. The arm 24', at its upper end, is pivoted ona stud 2'! l 5t 33 on said web. At: its other end shaft 3'2 is pro- Thecasings vided with a sprocket 34. See Fig. l. Sprocket 34'is alignedwith a sprocket 35 on the extended I end er the shaft 36, whichlatter isdriven from a motor 31, the casing of which is rigidly mounted on top ofthe beam I3. The shaft 36 is driven from the rotor of motor 31, throughreducing gears ofwelleknowneommercial. form-or of any suitable type notshown in detail, but contained within a casing 38. A belt or sprocketchain 39 1 runs over the sprockets 34 and 35.

A cut-oiT actuating bar 40; see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, is mounted to slidein the direction ofthe feed of the core sheet and to work betweencertain of the skid rails. As shown in-Fig. 5,-, this actuating a bar orslide 40 is held by and-mounted to slide 011-. guide blocks 4! rigidlysecured on-thecross meme At its rear end .bar 40 has a raised actuatinglug or projection 42 against bers of frame II.

which the core sheet will be engaged when iii-hast passed thecut-oif sawthe proper distance. Lug 42, in the preferred arrangement; has adovetailed j engagement with bar 48 and .is adjustably but rigidlyclamped thereon by a machin screw43.

the lower ends of which is mounted along transverse. rock-shaft. 48,,seeparticularly Figs; zxa'nd 3'. Rigidly secured to and extended upwardfrom the rock-shaft. 48-. isa relatively, short arm and. two relatively.longarms 56. The upper end of 1 the short arm 49 isconnected to thecentral por tion of lever Alloy a. link The upper ends" of the longarmslidaretied together by a. lon

smooth guide or shifter rod 52 which extends'at a. right angle to. and.slightly above the extended;

end. of motor shaft 22, see Figs. 1', 2. 3 and 7.

For reasons that will. hereinafter be made ap-.

parent, pivotal connectionbetween the link 5|. and the intermediate orcentral portion of the lever. is made .bymeans of .a pivot pin 44" onlever 44 and which pin. works in a longitudinal slotA l" inlink 5!;pin'fl'being yieldinglyre tained,. during all normal operatingconditior'is,

against the frontend of 's1ot44 by a spring 82. The spring 82 is,hookedoverv the proi ected.

bronze, babbitt, or the like is interposed. This bearing or lining 60takes both the end thrust and th radial load imposed thereon.

The numeral 6| indicates a pair of coiled springs adjustably anchored tothe framework by fixed brackets 62 and at their extended rear endsattached teams 63, thelower ends of which are rigidly attachedtothe,rock-shaft2'4 8.; springs 62 normally hold arms 63 forward andagainst stop brackets 65 rigid on the sides of the main frame I l, asbest shown in Fig. 3. On the side of at least-one of the skid rails I0is a longitudinally 'extended'guide'bar 66 which, as shown in Fig. 5,isv T-shapedin cross-section. This guide bar 66. 15

by anysuitableor well known means, is rigidly applied to .the adjacentskid rail ll]. Slidably mountedon the guide bar 66 isa releasing camblockt-I rigidly but adjustably se- 7 cured to said rail by machinescrews 68. As best shown in 'Fig. 2, the uppersurface of the cam block61*. rises above the lug 42' of actuating bar 48. The "exact relationand operation of this feature wili'b'e'ful ly discussedin the summary ofthe operation. I

Preferably, the above described elements 66 and 61 are applied toseveralof thskidrails l0, as indicated in Figs. 1- and 2'. Oneof thelong arms56 is. provided with ail-upwardly extended supplemental arm orportionliB and to the upper end of which is intermediately'pivoted'aswitch actuating dog 16, the movement of which in one direction islimited by a stop'pin or projection H. See'Fig. 3. The upper end ofthis'd g 'IO-is arranged to-operate on the; arm 12 of an-electric switchwhich; as sl' ow'n is mounted in a housing T3.

carrying frame '24 is provided with'an upwardlyextended switchactuating-finger 'l-4whichisarranged to act in succession on-twoswitches presently-to be noted]. switch actuatingfim' ger 14 maybemounted in diiferent'ways'but should be carried diria'ctly' orindirectly'by the link chain or belt 29. Finger '14 is operative on theend of a switch arni' 15 and on a switch'arm T6. Switch arm |5'*is theactuating'element of endof pivot pin .l lfiandat its otherv end is an Ichored to the outturned'frontendiVof link 5| by aturnebuckle-actingeye-bolt '80 and tension adjustingnuttl'. It. will beobw'ousthat the connection comprisingpin 4.4, slot '44'." .and spring82, constitute a yielding link .in' the connections betweenthe'actuatinglug '42' and. the rod 52.

Mounted to slide on radii-is .a. collar or Sleeve 53. The collar.53..carries-.a.proiecting'stud 54'. the extended end. of which.connected to, a

shifterlink 55. See Figs. (land 7.. Preferablythe stud. 54. is.rigidly.secured...to.-the .end of the 'l nk 1 and is swivelled. orrotatively mounted in the sleeve of collar53. Theextendedend. of link55: is expanded into the form of a.- sp1it. annular ring or head 56, thesections of which are clamped together byubolts 51. The head 56engagesan annular flange 58.011 the. collar 26.130. the other end. ofwhich cut-.ofbsaw' l9 is..'risid1y butdetachably secured by:suitabldmeans. suchas .aninternally threaded. ring. 5 9, all. as .bestshown in Fig. 7. Between the. groove of the head 56 and the annularflange 58, an annular 'llnlng' of anelectric switch which maybecontained within a housing o'r switch box 11; and switch-arm 16 is theactuating element of an electric switch which may becontained within ahousing-or switch box 18.

For the purpose of this-case it is only-necessary to state that theswitch in box 11 and the electrical connections thereto are such thatwhen arm 15 i moved toward theright in respect to Fig. 4 or toward theleft in respect to Fig. 2;

motor 3lwi1l be cut out ofaction and the transverse movement of chain orbelt 29 will be stopped. Also, it must be stated that the switch in box13 and the electrical connections to motor 31 are such thatwhen arms 56anddog I0 are moved toward'the right in" respect to 3, said motor 3!-will be startedlintor action 'to': impart movement to the sprocket chainor belt 29 and parts carried thereby inxtherdirection of arrows markedadjacent theretooil-Fig.4.

:In. actual practice the: meansfor feeding the core strip rearward willinvolve an electric motor and the feed mechanism may be. and preferablyis such as disclosed in mynrior application. above identified; and.hence, Iinthe template. arrangement the switch arm 16 and. switch boxwould be a switch for starting the feed'motor. v However, this inventionis not directedto the means for'feeding the core strip, and hence; thefeed best shown in Fig. 4, the arm 2 V of motor may take various formsa'nd as far as'the immight even be fed by handj i i To prevent the sawl9 and its hub 20=from being accidentally or otherwise slid off from themotor-driven shaft or arbor 22, I provide a stop means which, in thesimple form illustrated, consists of a stop lug 63 on the beam l'llocated in front of the arm 63, see Figs. 1 and 3. When arm 63 is movedfrom its normalposition against stop 65 and into engagement with stop t3further sliding movement of the saw will be stopped. The distancebetween stops "65 and G3' will, of course, be such that all of thedesired traveling movement of the saw on the arbor thatcan take placeduring the automatic action "willbe permitted without interference bystop 63'; i

Operation v provement herein claimed is concerned. the strip The summaryof the. operation of the mechae nism described is as follows:

Normally; the movable partswill be in the positions indicated by fulllines in. the drawings. When the core strip or'sheet a is moved rearwardinto engagement with the lug on actuating bar 40 and is forced.rearwarduntil lug 42 passes releasing cam block 61, the rear end of Qsheet a will be raised above lug, and released from the machine withoutstopping further vfeed movement of the core sheet a; and, this is trueregardless of the means for forcing the sheet a rearward. g

In the machine. ofmy prior application, when the rear end of th sheetengaged the stop lug, the feed movement of the machine would be stoppedand the sheet would have to be manually removed, whereas, in the presentapplication, the

release of the sheet is automatic and will not interfere withcontinuedor further movement of the sheet. i i 1 The cut-off motor 31will remain idle until the core sheet has. engagedlug 42 and forcedactuating bar 40 rearward far enough to cause the connections 44, 5| and49,..acting through the long arms 50, to carry switch actuating dog '10into engagement with switch arm 12 and there- I by start. cut-off motor31. into action. 'When" motor 31 is actuated, sprocket chain orbelt 29will be moved in the direction of the arrows I marked thereon in Fig. 4and motor carrying frame 24-24". will .be lowered with the cut-off sawl9 and will then be moved transversely of the sheet; and the saw, whichis continuously driven, will cut off the predetermined length or sectionof the sheet. The length of the'cut ofi section can be varied byadjustments of the lug 42 and the cam block 61. Whenjth'e cut -ofi sawhas travelled completely across and cut off the desired section, it willberaise'dand then feed movement of the sheet be continued more orless'during thecutting off operation.

Byre'ference to Fig. 3 it'will-be notedithat the arm 49 is'just one-halfthe length of arms 50, and that the link 5| connects arm 49 to thecentral'portion of arm 44- This arrangement insures lateral movement of'the cut-01f saw" 1'9 that-exactly corresponds to the endwise move.-ment of actuating bar 40, and" hence, to the movement that is impartedto the coresheet a afterengagement with the lug tz and during which timethe cut-off action takes place.

As. previously indicated, the pin 44' will norwhich would not releasethe sheet from the lug I 42 at the'time when one arm 63 was positivelystopped by engagement with stop lug 63 and the prevention of unduestrain on and possible breaking of the mechanism by such overrunning ofthe stop 63, is the function of the slot and pin] connection in'thelinkage and spring 82. Under such conditions, the spring 82 will yieldafter arm 63 hasbeen positively stoppedby engagement with stop lug 63'and will permit limited 7 rearward movement of pin 44' in What'Iclaimis:I I

1. In a machine of the kind described, a feed table for sheets to betransversely cut, amotordriven cut-off saw mounted for movementslongitudinally and transversely of the feed table, power means formoving'said 'saw'transversely'of the table to cut the sheet intosections, anactuating element mounted on said table for movementslongitudinally thereof and provided with a projecting actuating lug'setto be engaged by the projected edge of the sheet, a transverse guideconnected to move with the saw in the direction of the movement of thesheet and said actuating element While permitting free transverse movement of said saw, means movable with the guide for initiating operationof the power meansQan automatic operating connection betweeir said ac--tuating element and said guide, operative on said guide toautomatically keep the same-and said saw spaced from the actuating lugof said. actuating element, regardless of whether the sheet remainsstationary or is givenlongitudinal movement during the saw cuttingaction, and means operative on predeterminedtransverse movement of thesaw for arresting operation of the power means. a

' 2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the power means formoving said sawtransversely includes an endless belt set with upper andlower runs, whereby said saw will belowered for cutting action andraised for return action, and means operative on predetermined returnaction of'said saw for arresting the operation of means.

3. I a machine of the kind described, .a feed table for sheets to betransversely cutp'a bridge beam rigidly supported above andspanning'said table, an endless power-driven carrier belt mounted onsaid bridge beam, a saW carrier guidedby said beam and connected tosaidbelt for upward and downward movements, a'saw-actuating. mo.-

the. power tor-mountedon said: carrier frameand provided I with anextended shaft, at sleeverotatable, with 3 but slidable on said motorshaft, a cut-ofi; saw cartied-by said sleeve, a transverse guide rod, aslide mounted on said guide rod, and a link pivoted to saidzslide andconnected to said saw-carrying r sleeveby Connections permitting freerotation-f thesleeve-butcausing said sleeve and sawjtobe 1 spaced adefinite distance from the-advance edge of .the: sheet during the saw,cutting action.-

24. .In a machineof the kind described, ,a feed Z table for sheets to betransversely cut, an actuating bar mounted in said table for movementsin theidirectionvof the travelof the sheets and provided; with a stopelement for engagement with theadvanced edge of said sheet, a bridgebeam rigidly supported above and spanning said table, a power-drivensawshaft, a cut-ofisaw-equipped hubmountedon said saw shaft for rotationthere- .withbut for forward'andrearward sliding movepivotalIy-mounted attheir. lower ends, a transverse guide rod connecting the upper ends ofsaid a:sleeve mounted to slide on'said trans- 25 and said saw-equippedhub causing the said sawi verse guide rod; a connection between saidsleeve arages t te vshp t ie enpivetai v enmes d w we t atinsaslideet sueo r idr li ontest n e. lower nd or said ast noted 1 s is a; fixe aseoi eac ionrand-alink-co nect n 'the upp end of; saidrelatively; shortarm to the inter-me diatcv portion of saidrelati'velyshort' lever.

ments thereon, a pair of laterally spaced arms equipped" hub to travelforwardly and rearwardly withsaiducross shaft, and connections betweensaidspacedarms and; said actuating bar constructed vandarranged to causesaidtransverse I rodto maintain a forward or rearward positionconstantlydistantfrom the-stop, lugof said ac-,- tnating :bar, wherebysaid cut-off saw will be maintained a constant; distance from the troutedge of the sheet, regardless of whether or not there is movement ofthe'latterduring the trans-' versecutting action, r

.5. The structure defined in claimd in which said cut-oifsaw and'itshubare caused'to move on saidbridge beam-horizontally along a-rela tivelylow line during the cutting operation and along a line higher up underreturn movement.

,6: Ina machine of the kind described, a feed table for the sheets to-betransversely cut, an actuating, bar mountedin said table for forwardand-rearward movements and provided with a stopelement for engagementwith the advanced edge of: the sheet, a bridge beam rigidly supportedabove: and spanning said table ra power-j drivenbelt mounted to travelon said bridge beam:

in a' relatively lowposition for sawing action and infa relatively-highposition for return action, a saw-carrying frame mounted at one end totravel horizontally on said beam and at its upper end pivotallyconnected to an element oflsaid belt} amotor mounted on saidsaw-carrying frame and provided with a forwardly projecting shaft,1a

cut-:off'saw equipped hub mounted to slide upon butrotate with saidmotor'shaft, laterally spaced arms pivotally mounted at their lowerends,--av guide rod connecting the upperends of said spaced arms, asleeve slidable on saidguide rod, 'a'linkpivotally' connected; :to saidsleeve and at itsifree end connected to said saw-equippedihubwithwfreedom for rotation, ofjthe latter, and a lever and linkconnection between said spaced arms. and said actuator barconstructedandar ranged to maintain said saw at a constant dis-1 jtance from thestop lug of said actuating bar, regardlessof whether or not the sheet ismoved during the transverse cutting action.

- "I: The structure; defined in: claim ,6 inwhich the connection betweensaid spaced arms and actuator bar includes a relatively short arm con.--nectedto oscillate with said spaced arms a rela- ,8; The g ureidefinedin claim-6 inwhich the connection-between said spaced arms and actuatorbar includes a relatively short arm con,- nected to oscillate with'saidspaced arms, a"relatively short lever pivotally connected to saidactuating slideat its: upper end,, a link; connectingithe lowerendct-said last noted lever to a fixed base of reaction, alinkconnecting-the upper end of said relativelyshortarm to theintermediate' portion-of said-relatively short lever,;a spring: anchoredrespect to said, feed table and: yieldingly pressing said long armsrearward,

' andastop limiting the rearward pullingaction of said spring; v r

9. The structure deiinedin claim 3 in further combination with stopmeans for limiting the axial movement of said 'cut offfsaw on said motorshaft. I y r a 10. In a machineof the kind described; means for feedingand guiding strips-toform a core forming sheet,- means for transverselycutting the sheet-comprising atransverse bridge beam;

a saw carriage mounted to travel thereon, a bracket pivotally attachedatone end thereof to said carriage, a saw mounted on an intermediatepart of said bracket, an endless belt arranged table for sheets to betransversely cu't,-a motordriven cut-oft saw-mounted for movement'slon-i gitudinally and transversely of the feed table, means for movingsaid saw transversely-of the table to cut the sheet into'sections, anactuating element mounted on said table for movements longitudinallythereof and provided with a prov jecting actuating lug set to be engagedby the projected edge'of the sheet, a transverse guide connected to"move withthe sawin the direction of the movement of the sheet and saidactuating element while permitting free transverse movement of saidsaw,'an' automatic operating connection between said actuating elementand said i e o ti e o s d ui o u o at cal rk ep h em a id, s id s i asds r the actuating lug of said actuatihgeleinent, reardless .01..whether the sheet emai s stat n ry or v is given lon itudina v en d n te saw cutting. action, means positively limiting movements ofthermotor-driven cut ofi saw-l Ioniitudmah r the iced table in thedirection r feed, said operatingconnection-including a yielding linkand. beingconstructed and arranged to allow limited movementhofn theactuating, lug after traveling mevernents of the saw-with the sheethave.been positively stopped.

12. 11 a n achinetoia the kind'described, means .i'or feedingand guidingstrips to form a'coreformingsheet; means for transversely cutting thesheet comprising a transverse bridge beam, a

sa carr a mou t do trav l-th r n a; brack- 11. In amachineofthekinddescribed, a feed et pivotally attached to said carriage, a sawmounted on said bracket, an endless belt arranged to travel in avertical plane longitudinally of said bridge beam, means for guiding anddriving said belt, means connecting the free end of said saw-supportingbracket to the said endles belt, whereby said saw in one direction oftravel will be lowered into cutting elevation and in the oppositedirection of travel will be raised out of cutting elevation, an electricmotor directly connected to said saw and supported by said saw-carryingbracket; an electric operating circuit for the cut-off saw motor, saidmeans for driving said belt and saw carriage including a circuit-havinga'control switch and an actuator for said last named control switcharanged to trip the same and complete the last named circuit when saidcore sheet has been projected a predetermined distance beyond the lineof travel of the cut-off saw.

OSCAR S. BOLLING.

